


Thin Skin

by silkiemae



Series: Silence of the Sirens [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, not my best work but still, this is the last one in the series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-02-03 01:29:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 11,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12738276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkiemae/pseuds/silkiemae
Summary: rotting like a wreck on the ocean floorsinking like a siren that can’t swim anymorecause your songs remind me of swimmingbut i can’t swim anymore





	1. The Little Mermaid

Once upon a time there was a mermaid who wanted to know the human world. Unexpectedly, it found her and ripped her from the water. The human world was not as the little mermaid expected and she feared it and wished for nothing more than to return to her home with her father and sisters. Of course, this option was no longer available to her because the human that tore her from the water stole the one thing that made her a true mermaid—her kiss. Without her kiss, the little mermaid was powerless against those evil creatures with legs not to mention she would be an outcast of her own kind.  
  
The little mermaid spent weeks in a glass cage filled with dirty water from her home—she tried often to escape knowing it was futile but refusing to give up. She kept her mouth shut and her chin high until something finally happened. A guardian angel appeared to her one night and granted her wish to escape by giving her legs. These legs were weak though and it took her quite a long time to learn to use them—as it happens the human who ripped her from the water and stole her kiss was also the one to help her learn to walk.  
  
Soon the little mermaid found herself not wishing to escape but to stay with the man—the pirate with one hand. But the human world is an unkind place and things were not as they seemed for the poor little mermaid.


	2. The Great Tragedy

Once upon a time there was a boy who wanted to stay young forever. A boy who never wanted to grow up and wanted to be loved at all costs. His name was Peter Pan and he was a fool. This is not the story of how he lost his heart to a girl named Wendy or how he stole the heart of a love sick fairy—this is the story of how he fell very sickly in love with a mermaid ripped from the sea.  
  
But this mermaid loved another—she loved him in a way she would never admit. That was the tragedy that would tear everything apart.  
  
Peter finally found his truest believer, Henry the boy would allow him to live forever—of course he didn’t realize that taking Henry would lead to a small army following him to Neverland. He didn’t count on Henry’s family fighting for him back; why would they? No one wanted any of these boys—they were lost and so was Henry.  
  
Yet, here they all were. But not just Henry’s family…Killian Jones too. The pirate that gave him his mermaid had come to take her back as well as every chance Peter had at his happy ending.  
  
He would not succeed.


	3. Dirty Boys

Ariel found herself sitting on a log surrounded by dancing children and heated by the warmth of the fire in front of her. Her newfound friend, Peter Pan had disappeared to go find her something—he wouldn’t tell her what. For now she found herself finally feeling at ease for the first time in a long time. While her comfort with Hook had increased she still had the uneasy feeling that he would sell her the second he was able to—and if she was no good to him as a mermaid surely there were other uses for her. Her father had told her often how dangerous a world above water was and she was terrified for what was waiting for her.  
  
At least here, surrounding by happy children she could feel safe if only for a little while. A boy sat beside her then and looked at her, reaching forward to take a strand of her hair in between his fingers. Ariel looked at him cautiously, holding her breath as he did so. He looked slightly older than the others—around Peter’s age and she wasn’t sure if would be as kind as the other boy had been. He released her hair and pushed the hood of his cloak back revealing a smudged, dirty face. His eyes were bright and blue and his smile seemed devious.  
  
“You have the reddest hair I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Is this some form of magic?” Blushing, Ariel shook her head. “So it’s real then? That’s incredible.”  
  
“Thank you,” she said, pushing her hair frantically over her shoulder opposite him.  
  
“I’m Felix,” he said. “You could say that I’m Peter’s…right hand man.”  
  
“Do you know where he’s gone?” she asked, perking up at the sound of the kind boy’s name. Then realizing how rude she may have seemed she smiled at him before saying, “I’m Ariel.”  
  
Felix grinned at the sound of the girl’s name or it may have been her enthusiasm upon hearing Peter’s name, she wasn’t sure. “Well Ariel, it’s very nice to meet you. But no, I don’t know where Peter’s gone. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”  
  
Ariel’s shoulders sagged and she thanked the blonde boy who was now standing to wander through the dancing children. He left and she was alone once more surrounded by dancing children and the warmth of the fire. She wondered where the pirate was now, if he had noticed her absence and if he was searching for her. She wondered what he would say…what he would do when he found her here. Her heart began thudding when she considered all the possibilities—he had never hurt her, in fact he had saved her on numerous occasions but the thought of his rage in her direction frightened her.  
  
Shoving herself to a standing position she decided the safest thing to do would be to go back. It would be safer for her and for these boys. The boys…her heart sped again when she thought of what the other pirates would do to the boys. Unlike Hook the pirates had expressed multiple times how badly they wanted to harm her, even kill her. Hook’s words of protection didn’t stand over these boys and she couldn’t bear to be the cause of their pain.  
  
She took one step and immediately fell to her knees, her right one bouncing off the log she had sat on. She felt a dull throb in her knee—not a sharp pain like she had expected and when she glanced down at her leg after pulling herself to her feet once more, she noticed that there was a hole in the trousers she wore and the skin from her kneecap had torn away. Blood dripped down her leg, staining the pants dark and the only thought she could manage was why didn’t it hurt more?  
  
“What did you do to yourself?” came a voice from behind her. With a gasp she turned, defensive in posture though she knew she’d be no use when it came to defending herself—not when she could hardly stand. Instantly she relaxed upon seeing Peter, a bundle of fabric in his hands.  
  
“I fell,” she admitted sheepishly and Peter simply smiled kindly at her before offering her a hand. She took it and let him lead her to another place where she could sit.  
  
“Let me look at it,” he murmured and without warning ripped the leg of her trousers off. She let out a small yip as he grabbed hold of where the tear had begun and his fingers grazed against the wound. Blood was already drying on her shin but it still was dark and fresh on her kneecap. “I can fix this, easily,” Peter said more to himself than to Ariel before he placed his palm over her knee. A sudden warmth spread over her leg as his hand glowed gold. When he pulled his hand away the wound was gone and all that remained was the leftover blood.  
  
Ariel looked at her newly healed leg in wonder. It was, of course, not the first time she’d seen magic—her whole world was filled with it but it was the first she’d seen something of that magnitude. “That’s amazing,” she whispered.  
  
“Nothing to it,” Peter shrugged before helping her to stand again. “I’ve brought you something,” he said with a smile handing her the bundle of cloth in his hand. “So you don’t have to wear those old rags,” he said gesturing at her now ripped men’s trousers and Killian’s jacket. She smiled before accepting the gift and looking around for somewhere to change into them. “Oh right,” he said with a laugh before taking her hand and guiding her over to a tent pitched in the distance. “You can change in here,” he said holding the tent flap open for her.  
  
“Thank you,” she said, ducking into the tent. Inside was completely empty aside from a drained bathtub and a small makeshift rack with towels. Judging from how dirty all the boys out there had been no one used this tent—at least not very often.  
  
She slipped off the trousers and carefully unbuttoned Hook’s jacket before setting it on the bathtub’s ledge. All she had left on were the purple shells Hook had given her before which she decided to remove as well, with some difficulty. After several falls and fumbled attempts to put on the dress she emerged holding Hook’s shells and jacket, still barefoot.  
  
The dress was simple, blue with a black bodice and white sleeves—but she felt much better wearing it than she did in her other clothing and she couldn’t help but thank Peter when she emerged. He simply smiled at her before offering her something else, two black round shapes. She frowned at them, unsure of what exactly she was supposed to do.  
  
“They’re shoes, silly,” he said. “Here,” he took the shoes from her and then proceeded to bend down and slide them onto her feet for her. Almost instantly all the pain in her feet—the pain she hadn’t been aware she was experiencing—vanished.  
  
“Thank you so much,” she sighed. “You’ve been so kind to me…but I have to go,” she said, unable to meet his eyes as she spoke. “The…people I’m with will be looking for me.”  
  
“I’d say they’ve already found you.”


	4. A Deal's a Deal

Ariel’s wrists were bound and she the chain only gave so much leeway so that she was only able to kneel. Her face was dirt stained and there was streak marks from past shed tears. She was unharmed except for the bruises on her wrists but those were just from the shackles—but she felt as if she had experienced so much worse.  
  
“If you’re going to kill me why not put me with the others?” she had asked Peter, trying at all costs to avoid _his_ name.  
  
“Why don’t you just say it, Ariel?” Peter spat. “You wish to be put with the pirate.”  
  
Swallowing thickly, Ariel couldn’t deny the truth. More than anything if she were truly going to die she wanted to be with Killian. She took a deep breath and brought her eyes to meet Peter’s. “If you ever really loved me you could at least give me this one kindness.”  
  
The look Peter gave her was filled with so much anger, for a moment she thought he was actually hurt by her words. He knelt beside her taking her face in his hands—instantly she jerked out of his reach but he only grabbed her again, this time with a tighter grip. “Of course I loved you, fishy. I _still_ love you…and I certainly am not going to kill you. These,” he said, removing one of his hands and fingering the chains binding her to the ground. “Are for your own good. Since we know you can’t be trusted on your own…you’ll just run back to the filthy pirate.”  
  
Ariel took a deep shaky breath; now was not the time for tears. Now was not to be the weak human that she was but to be the strong mermaid she always had been. She had spent so long running and crying and screaming and begging and pleading that all she had left to do was give up. But she wouldn’t give up…not until he was really gone.  
  
Lifting her chin she looked Peter dead in the eyes and for a moment she saw a flicker of shock in his gaze. “I’d rather die than stay here with you for another second longer,” she hissed. Peter stared at her, bewildered until he bared his teeth and clenched his fist. Suddenly, it was as if all the oxygen in the world had gone. Ariel couldn’t hold her throat so she was left only to gasp emptily, her hands now clawing at the dry earth beneath her as she hunched over.  
  
“Don’t forget who holds your life in their hands,” he whispered in her ear. “If you truly wish for death I can easily give it to you, my mermaid.” He unclenched his fist and air returned to her lungs. She took long, unsettling breaths as she tried to gain her bearings again. Baiting him, clearly, was not the answer.  
  
Peter left soon after that, clearly his rage had gotten the better of him. Ariel was left on her own, tugging uselessly at the shackles around her wrists. There had to be a way out—there had to be a way to get to Killian and the others and stop this whole thing. “Damn,” she moaned as her wrists began to bleed.  
  
Of all the ways help could’ve been given to her she had not expected it to come in the shape of a little green ball. She watched as the ball floated in through the tent flap almost hesitantly and then stop right in front of her face. If she squinted she could see the familiar naked blonde woman that had once been her fairy godmother. “Tink,” Ariel breathed and the fairy held her fingers to her lips before zooming over to her ear.  
  
“Remember that favor you owe me? Now’s the time to give it. I’m going to get you out of here and once you get your friends you leave and never come back. Do you understand?”  
  
Ariel simply nodded, knowing that talking would only get her and Tinkerbell in trouble. Her heart was pounding too fast to wonder if this were a trap of some kind—Peter already had everything he needed, why else would he need to play more games? No, this had to be real. Tinkerbell had always expressed her hatred for Ariel—but she never really understood where that hatred stemmed from. If this help were real than she would gladly accept it.  
  
The ball flew back in front of her face and a dart of green light flew at the chains holding her to the floor. Warmth flooded her hands and wrists and the chains disintegrated. Tinkerbell disappeared and just like that she was free.  
  
Well. Almost.


	5. Ariel's Choice

Killian had found the little group with ease. They were not the most discreet bunch of bandits as they danced and sang around a roaring fire. At first he feared the worst, that they had come across his camp and seen the sole female in a group of men and had taken her. Ariel knew too little about the human mechanics to put up a fight and should she scream it would risk killing everyone around her—he liked to think that she wished not to kill him, at least.  
  
Of course, when he _did_ find her, he found that she had not been taken. No, in fact, she was talking about returning to him—so that meant she had come here of her own accord. He wasn’t sure if he should be angry with this or if he should feel heartened by the fact that she wished to return to him. He could only see the back of the head of the boy she was speaking to and the darkness made it difficult to tell anything about him other than he was only slightly taller than her and his hair was dark and curly.  
  
Smee and the others had surrounded the bandits’ camp in the hopes of catching them off guard so that Killian could steal Ariel back and get away without a hitch—but as he got a closer look he realized that these bandits were not bandits at all. They were children. Some teenagers, some no older than eight or nine but they were all children nonetheless.  
  
He didn’t realize Ariel had spotted him until the music seemed to stop and the only sound was the crackling of the fire’s embers. He returned his gaze to Ariel to see her eyes wide and confused and he held his hook in the air to signal his crew to hold their positions. He could just barely see the peak of Smee’s red cap in the shrubbery directly behind Ariel and instantly it disappeared as he locked his eyes on it.  
  
“Hook?” she said, bewilderment in her tone. He knew she was wondering how on Earth he had found her and what the hell was he going to do to her now; but he merely chuckled and threw his hands to the side as he surveyed the land.  
  
“Come now, my fiery red head, surely we’re on a first name basis by now,” he said, his smile wide but his eyes darting from each of the boy’s standing in the area. They all were watching him and the look in their eyes was not the most comforting. The boy that she had been talking to finally turned around to face him. “You,” Killian growled, his eyes narrowing at the freckled face that had appeared to him just a few nights before.  
  
“Hello, Killian.”  
  
“You know each other?” Ariel asked, still feeling incredibly confused.  
  
“Oh yes, Killian and I have shared quite the adventure once upon a time,” he said, his smile wide and unforgiving. “So glad you’ve decided to join us; we were just talking about you.”  
  
“Let her go, Pan,” Killian hissed, wishing that his blade were of use now.  
  
“Go right ahead, Ariel. Go to your pirate,” Peter said turning to her with a kind smile. “Don’t worry,” he said under his breath so that only she could hear. “We will see each other again.”  
  
Ariel hesitated only slightly, her frown prominent as she looked between Peter and Killian. She nodded and clutched the jacket in her arms tighter to her chest before walking the short distance to Killian. His glare never wavered from Peter but he offered her his hand, which she willingly took and let him lead her back to the camp they had made.  
  
She wasn’t sure why she was so ready to go with Killian and why she hadn’t stayed with Peter. It occurred to her only moments later that this was the man who had stolen her life and made promises to sell her to the highest bidder—now that she was human she was almost positive that didn’t change things. Peter had been kind and gentle with her, surely he would never do such things…and yet she had been so eager to return to the pirate beside her.  
  
Either Peter’s words of meeting again were a sort of silent comfort that she would get out of this mess or something inside of her was drawing her to Killian. She couldn’t be sure and she almost didn’t want to know.


	6. An Unexpected Team

Escaping the tent was easier than Ariel had thought it would be. She had expected the Lost Boys to be guarding the tent per Peter’s orders but when she peeked out the entry flap she found no one there. In fact, there was no one in the camp at all. The main grounds which were usually infested with dancing boys and song was completely bare thus allowing her to slip through the grounds to the where the cages were being held undetected.  
  
She was careless in her escape there, tripping over nearly everything in her path until finally she found the cages. She let out a breath of air and made her way to the one she remembered Emma, Mary Margaret and Regina being held in. But they weren’t there. She grabbed the bars, peering into the cage but it was empty and so she ventured down to the one that should’ve contained Killian and David. Still it was empty.  
  
“He’s taken them,” came a familiar croak from behind her. She turned spotting the cage that she now knew held Wendy. Ariel slowly walked to the cage, spotting the battered brunette. She smiled sadly at Ariel, her knees pulled to her chest while her arms were wrapped around them. “He said he wants to make them watch.”  
  
“Watch what?” Ariel whispered.  
  
“Peter’s got everything that he wants,” Wendy murmured, her eyes filled with hopelessness. “He’s going to live forever now all he needs is for Henry to give him his heart. Peter’s going to force Henry’s mother, his father, and his grandparents watch him rip his own heart out.  
  
“We’ve got to stop him!” Ariel cried, feeling utterly useless.  
  
“I’d love to, but you’ve no idea how many times I’ve tried to break free from this cage. It’s useless,” Wendy sighed, pushing her matted hair from her eyes.  
  
“Can’t you two do anything without my help?” came a voice from somewhere behind them. Ariel turned around ready to put up as much of a fight as she could—Tinkerbell seemed to have emerged from thin air. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she shook her head at Ariel.  
  
“Tink?” she gasped, her eyes wide. She had prayed that this wasn’t a trap and now it seemed she was right in believing that it was. Tinkerbell merely smiled grimly at the red head before waving her fingers in the direction of the cage.  
  
The bars instantly disintegrated and with shaking arms and legs Wendy stepped free from the cage. She nearly tumbled to the ground the moment she put her feet on solid Earth and Wendy was quick to wrap an arm around her waist to help. She knew just how hard it was to walk on unused legs.  
  
“Why are you helping us?” Wendy asked, knowing full well how little Tinkerbell liked either of them.  
  
The blonde smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “I want things the way it used to be,” she said. “Before either of you came along. And it seems the only way to do that is to help the two of you stop Peter’s plan…and find another way to keep him young.”  
  
Ariel and Wendy looked at each other, knowing that Peter could not be allowed to remain young but they weren’t about to refuse the help of a fairy. “You have to swear you won’t betray us,” Ariel said suddenly.  
  
She knew the code of the fairies and she knew they were unable to break a promise. Tinkerbell clenched her jaw but rolled her eyes and nodded. “I swear that I will do all that I can to help you and your friends get safely from this island…and I won’t betray you in the process,” Tinkerbell said, holding up her hand as she spoke. “Happy now?”  
  
Ariel nodded. “Do you know where they’ve gone?”  
  
“Of course. They’re on Skull Island,” Tink said as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “But to be honest with you, we’ll need reinforcements…we’re going to need a lot of help to bring Peter down.”  
  
“Well, how are we going to do that?” Wendy said, feeling as though she would faint at any moment.  
  
“I know jus the thing,” the fairy said with a glimmer in her eyes.


	7. Strange Words from a Pirate

Ariel found herself stumbling along the darkened roots and uneven ground of the forest floor; her wrist was still between Killian’s fingers. “Please,” she panted, nearly falling to her knees as she tripped over a rather large tree root. “Slow down.”  
  
“The sooner we get away from Pan, the better,” Killian explained though he did slow down so that Ariel was only slightly behind him now. The rest of the pirate’s were not in sight and she could only assume they had taken a different route to the camp. It didn’t occur to her to ask about them not that she would be sorry if they never showed up again.  
  
“Why?” she gasped, flabbergasted at how urgent he seemed to be away from Peter. He was kind to her and that was enough to earn her respect. It was the most this world had offered her after being caged and treated like a pet.  
  
“Trust me love, you don’t want to know,” Killian said, glancing back at her slightly. He paused, looking as though his ears were perking up to listen to the forest around him. Ariel took advantage of his distraction to step in front of him and look fiercely into his eyes. He met hers, his brows quirking upward at her expression.  
  
“No, I want to know. Tell me,” she demanded and Killian let out a bark of laughter.  
  
“Well someone’s finally found her voice,” he said with a grin. After spending so long with her saying as little as possible he had thought that perhaps that spark he had first seen had long vanished. Now here it was, burning dimly before him and he found himself utterly pleased by it. The look she gave him though was enough to make him roll his eyes and nod. “Fine,” he said offering his arm to her once again.  
  
They walked for a while longer; his pace considerably slowed leading Ariel to believe they were close to camp. “This is not my first excursion to Neverland,” he explained. “In fact, I’ve been here once before. Each of my adventures here I have come across your new friend, Peter Pan.” He paused thinking of his first trip there and how he had lost not only his brother but also everything that was truly ‘good’ about him. He swallowed thickly and continued, “I came to learn that Pan is in search of something.”  
  
“What?” Ariel found herself utterly intrigued by his words, looking up at him with wide curious eyes. Killian smiled down at her, amused by the eagerness in her expression.  
  
“He was looking for a boy,” was all he said. Ariel frowned at the statement.  
  
“But…he has so many with him already, who is he looking for? His brother perhaps?”  
  
“No, Ariel…I know not the relationship he shares with this boy just that he’s been searching for him for a very long time. When he finds him…well, I fear he’s going to kill him,” Killian said.  
  
“I don’t believe that,” Ariel gasped. “Peter wouldn’t do something so horrible.”  
  
Killian smiled tightly, knowing how terrible she must think _him_. “Ah, but you hardly know him, love. I know him much better than you do…and I’ve seen him do terrible things,” he murmured, his thoughts returning to his trip to Dead Man’s Peak. “All men are capable of horrible things, love. Even those you find to be the kindest.”  
  
“Like kidnapping someone? Or stealing a kiss from them without permission? Those kinds of horrible things?” Ariel said, suddenly removing her hand from his arm. Killian sighed and stopped as she did, turning to face her. A deep frown was etched onto his face as he looked at Ariel.  
  
She looked so beautiful in that moment with her lower lip slightly jutted out and her blue eyes flowing with the moonlight. Her hair dark as a garnet gemstone and the new blue dress she donned billowing around her newly grown legs.  
  
“Yes, Ariel. I admit that in the past I’ve been…well not very kind to you and I am deeply sorry for that,” he said and for a moment she almost thought him sincere.  
  
“I don’t know why I should trust you,” Ariel said, for once her voice coming in loud and clear. “You’ve done nothing but terrible things to me. Why should I stay here with you when Peter was so kind to me?”  
  
“I’m trying to protect you, Ariel!” Killian cried, lunging forward and placing his hand on her shoulder. The cold metal of his hook rested against her skin and it almost felt natural there. “Any one of those men would’ve drowned you the second you sprouted legs but I kept you safe. I didn’t let any of them touch you when they wanted to do unspeakable things to the defenseless mermaid in my cabin. _I_ never touched you though you are by far the most divine being I’ve ever laid my eyes upon. Never would I intentionally harm you, little mermaid. You have to believe me when I say you have grown on me. I wish not to part from you,” he said, his face so close to hers now.  
  
Once again, Ariel found herself completely speechless. She found her lips parted in shock as she realized just how close he was to her. With the utmost care he reached up and brushed a strand of her hair from her cheek. “Do you trust me?” he asked, quietly and since she was unable to speak Ariel simply nodded. Killian sighed and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Good, come on,” he said, taking her hand once more and continuing toward camp.  
  
Ariel still remained breathless.


	8. Daughters of Triton

The trio made their way away from Peter’s camp and toward the water—the village Ariel had spotted what felt like ages ago seemed to have vanished and all that remained was Killian’s ship. She frowned, wondering where the people could’ve gone or what might’ve happened to them; after all no one left Neverland unless Peter allowed it.  
  
When they reached the shoreline and the water was just brushing Ariel’s toes she glanced at Tinkerbell, waiting. “What are we doing here?” Ariel asked and watched a Tinkerbell gave her a proud smile.  
  
“We’re here for reinforcements,” she answered simply, looking between Ariel and Wendy.  
  
“What reinforcements can fish give us?” Wendy asked, clearly still unaware of much of the wonders that this world held. Ariel had understood though and she clenched her fist with subtle fury, her heated glare on Tinkerbell.  
  
“No,” she answered simply and Tinkerbell rolled her eyes.  
  
“What do you mean no? It’s the best shot we’ve got!”  
  
“I won’t drag my family into this. I doubt they’d want to help anyways. I’m an outcast,” Ariel said, her fingers flying to the pendant still wrapped around her throat. She was shocked she had been able to get this far but then she realized the one in control of it was right beside her.  
  
“What are you two talking about?” Wendy asked, bewildered at the seemingly insane conversation.  
  
“Ariel is a mermaid,” Tinkerbell explained, her eyes remaining on the red head. “And we’re here to call her sisters for help. Mermaid’s can be quite vicious,” she said with a wicked smile.  
  
“Like I said, they won’t want to help.”  
  
Ariel stared out at the ocean, watching the blue waves rise and collapse on one another. She remembered the way the water felt against her tail and the way she could swim easily against the current. She feared that if she were to try and swim now she would simply sink to the bottom and die alone on the black, freezing sand.  
  
“We’ll see,” Tinkerbell murmured before shoving Ariel. She stumbled into the water, the icy cold liquid licking at her calves. Ariel turned, frowning at the fairy as Tinkerbell pointed at the pendant wrapped around her throat. A sudden warmth enveloped Ariel and then it was gone as quickly as it came. “Now you can breathe underwater, it won’t last long so you’d better hurry.”  
  
“Tinkerbell, I don’t even know where they’d be!”  
  
“They’ll find you,” the fairy said simply before shrugging and flicking her hand lazily at the mermaid. She went flying back, a cry erupting from her lips and then it was drowned out as she plummeted in the water. Instinctually she shut her eyes, letting the water wrap around her. The skit she wore drifted up like a veil feeling suddenly heavy as it twisted around her arms like tentacles.  
  
“Ariel?” came a small voice and her eyes snapped open. She let out the breath she had been holding and the force of the blow sent her dress back down. She nearly let out a cry of happiness as she saw the brunette swimming in front of her.  
  
“Adella,” she gasped, reaching forward. The mermaid swum to her sister and wrapped her arms around her.  
  
“We thought you were dead,” Adella cried, pulling back and holding her sister’s face. “Where is your tail? What happened to you?”  
  
“A human…took me from the water. And a fairy gave me legs so I could escape but…I never made it that far,” she said, looking away shamefully.  
  
“But you’re here now…you’re alright!”  
  
“Adella, I can’t stay. The fairy put a spell on me so that I could breathe underwater but it won’t last long. I need your help…I need everyone’s help,” Ariel sighed. “But before I can ask you for….anything, you have to know that I don’t believe I can ever come home again.”  
  
Adella looked at her sister with sad, big eyes. Adella had always been the most understanding of all Ariel’s sister—the two had gotten along from day one and she had always understood Ariel’s fascination with the human world.  
  
“What do you need?” she asked, her voice kind.  
  
“I need you to help me stop a very evil man…and rescue my friends.”  
  
“Why should we help you save _humans_?” came another voice from behind the two. Ariel whirled around spotting another of her sisters, Andrina.  
  
“Andrina,” Ariel gasped, reaching for her other sister who after a moment came to her. She took her sister’s hand and smiled sadly at the red head.  
  
“They did this to you, Ariel. Why would we help them?”  
  
“Because she’s in love!” came another voice, she turned to find Arista. Behind Arista came the rest of them, all with wide, curious eyes. But not a single one looked angry like Ariel had feared. None turned her away when she reached for them. They all swam to her and hugged her as they always had and somehow her heart felt a thousand times lighter.  
  
“Is this true, Ariel?” came the voice she had feared most of all. She turned, her breath catching as she caught sight of King Triton.  
  
“Daddy!” Ariel cried, struggling as she tried to swim to her father. He came swiftly to her, wrapping her in his arms and Ariel wondered if she were crying.  
  
“I’ve missed you, Ariel,” he sighed, pulling away and holding her up by her shoulders. “We feared the worst.”  
  
“I’m okay,” she said, smiling at her father. “But I’m afraid of what might happen if we don’t stop him…” she drifted off and her father frowned.  
  
“Who do you need to stop? We will help in anyway we can.”  
  
“His name is Peter Pan,” she said and watched as her father’s eyes widened in horror. “Daddy, what is it?”  
  
“He is the reason I warned you away from the human world, Ariel!” Triton cried, his fingers gripping her shoulders tightly. “He is a monster. He cannot be stopped.”  
  
Ariel felt as though her lungs had deflated as she watched her father’s adamant face softens. “But we will help you as best as we can.”

 


	9. Secret Desire

The sun raised slowly, a soft orange hue trailing up Ariel’s legs as she made her way back towards the camp with Killian. She noticed almost immediately that it seemed as though they had never been there and in fact the only evidence was a small bag hooked against the tree where she had slept.  
  
“Where is everyone?” she asked, glancing around even as Killian continued to tug her by the wrist.  
  
“They’ve returned to the Jolly Roger,” he said absently, grabbing the bag and hoisting it around his shoulder. Ariel turned to face him, frowning and he simply sighed at the implied question. “I’ve informed Smee that I don’t trust the men of my crew to leave you be…we’ve had too many disobedient pirates and I prefer not to kill the rest of them.”  
  
Without another word he whirled around and began walking in a seemingly random direction. They were quiet for a while, Killian finally releasing Ariel’s wrist so she was free to walk at her own leisure—though she continued to stumble at almost any given point. Killian was always there to catch her should she fall however, chuckling every so often at the fact that she still hadn’t managed to completely understand the use of her legs.  
  
“So you were serious weren’t you?” Ariel blurted suddenly as she glanced up at the sun, seeing that it was just about noon. Her father had spent hours teaching her and her sisters the ways to tell what time it was judging by the sun’s position. He had always told them to come down before dark so they would spend countless minutes gazing up at the sun while they sat on the rocks in their beloved caves. It was one of the days Ariel forgot to watch the sun that she had been taken.  
  
“About what, pet?” Killian said and Ariel winced ever so slightly at the term. She wasn’t quite sure if it was a good thing or if it was something you called someone you planned on selling.  
  
“Wanting to protect me,” she said, though her mind was revolving around his words from the night before it was not his words of protection. It was more so the words of his fondness for her and she had begun to think too often of it.  
  
“Indeed I did, little mermaid,” he said turning to look back at her with a smile. She must’ve made a face once more because he paused. “Have I offended you?”  
  
Ariel glanced up, surprised that he would even bother to ask—and even more so surprised at the gentleness in his tone. She attempted to speak but the words were coming out in croaks, no doubt punishment for refusing to speak for so long. “No…I…I just wonder if the names you call me…pet and little mermaid. Does that mean you still plan to sell me?”  
  
“Why do you ask?” he said, his gaze still pressed hard against her.  
  
“I had hoped that…since I’ve grown legs you might’ve changed your mind is all,” Ariel murmured, glancing down. The thought was strange to her. What would she do if she were not sold? She had grown so used to being with the pirates that she feared she might not know how to operate in the real world. Her heart sank as she realized just how truly desolate she was—she had no place in the world; unable to return to the water and useless on land.  
  
“Does that mean you wish to remain with me?” Killian asked and Ariel felt her cheeks flood with color. She glanced away from the pirate and continued walking, making sure she was far enough in front of him that he couldn’t see the red in her cheeks.  
  
“Where else would I go?” she said, the slightest of smiles on her lips as she carried on.  
  
Killian was quiet for a moment, walking behind her and she dared a peak to see him. He was looking to the ground, his expression pensive but there was that smirk on his lips that eased her worry, if only slightly. “You know, they say it’s bad luck to have a woman on board.”  
  
Ariel was shocked by the fact that her heart swelled at these words. That she truly _wanted_ to remain with him. Surely there must be some kind of word to describe this feeling? Wanting to be with someone who tore you away from everything you were and everything you were ever going to be—was it wrong? Or was this something she had secretly desired from the moment she laid eyes on those dancing men so many years ago?  
  
“It’s a good thing I’m a mermaid then.”


	10. Sick Love

“What’s taking her so long?” Tinkerbell grumbled, pacing along the shoreline and tugging at the blonde bun atop her head. Wendy was standing back a few strides, staring at the sky, the slightest of smiles on her face as she inhaled deeply. It was incredible being outside of that cage. She knew that time stood still in Neverland and she knew that it could be either hours or decades that had passed since Peter took her from her room all those nights ago. She knew though that it felt as if she hadn’t seen the stars in ages.  
  
“Don’t worry,” Wendy said softly. Tinkerbell looked back at the girl before rolling her eyes at her dazed expression. She imagined how relieved Ariel must be to see her family after so long—a mermaid with legs…it must be impossible for her to ever visit home. Wendy wondered how her brothers were, if they were okay or if Peter had brought them to Neverland. The only face she had seen since she’d been taken was Peter’s or the fleeting figures passing by her cage. “Do…do you know if my brother’s are okay? John and Michael?” she asked Tinkerbell.  
  
While the fairy hadn’t been the most welcoming person to Wendy on her first adventure to Neverland—she must’ve known something about Peter’s doing. Tinkerbell sighed, turning to face the girl. “All I know is that they’re in a town called Storybrooke,” Tinkerbell said with a shrug. When she caught Wendy’s look of disappointment however, she sighed and walked over to the girl. “Look you don’t get it. Before that mermaid came along or you or even Peter’s stupid Lost Boys came…it was just us. Just me and him. We had the island all to ourselves and no one to distract him from me.”  
  
“Then I came along,” Wendy said with a sad smile on her lips. She’d seen Tinkerbell’s reaction to things she didn’t want to hear, and while Wendy wanted to tell her she was insane for wanting to be with Peter she also understood. Wendy had fallen for his charm as well as the blonde—he could be sweet when he wanted to. He made it seem like being with him could be the most wonderful thing in the world and then in the blink of an eye it could all change. She wondered if Ariel had felt the same way.  
  
“Yes,” Tinkerbell snapped, making a visible effort to calm herself down. “You came and then he just…threw me off to the side. Then you made the decision to go off and grow up and I was _so_ happy because it would be me and Peter again. But after you left he went insane…more insane than he was before I guess. He became desperate to find someone else…no matter how hard I tried, he never wanted me. I was never good enough. I just thought that if I stuck around maybe he’d finally see how perfect we were together.”  
  
“Do you still want to be with him?” Wendy asked and Tinkerbell smiled bitterly.  
  
“I’m always going to love him but in order to stop him…I’ll be killing him also. Without Henry’s heart Peter is going to die and I’m going to be alone again.” A lone tear trickled down Tinkerbell’s cheek and she wiped it away frantically.  
  
Wendy stepped forward, placing her hand over the fairies. “You don’t have to be. Alone, that is. You can come home with my brothers and me. We can be sisters.” Wendy said with a bright smile.  
  
Before Tinkerbell could answer however they heard a strange melody flow through the air. They turned to face the ocean watching as Ariel’s red hair emerged from the water and following her came six other women. Their lips were motionless but it was like the air around them sang but somehow the girls were immune to the hypnotic tune. Ariel smiled comfortingly at the girls. “It only works on men,” she said with a shrug.  
  
Ariel came to stand beside Tinkerbell and faced her sisters. “They’re here to help,” she said and the three girls watched as Ariel’s sisters rose from the water all on two glistening legs. “You know, my daddy was able to give them legs without the inability to walk,” Ariel said pointedly to Tinkerbell.  
  
“Quit complaining,” the fairy grumbled. “We’ve got work to do.”


	11. Not So Fixed Up After All

Ariel was pleased to find that her legs were much stronger than she had expected. After hours of nonstop walking she had only grown slightly fatigued and wondered if that _was_ something to be proud of. When she glanced at Killian he seemed oddly concentrated on chopping away at the bramble in front of him so she bit back her words. As the two made progress through the woods she couldn’t help but wonder where they were going. If the rest of the crew had made their way to the Jolly Roger, why were they still heading to town?  
  
Her heart began to sink as she thought of the fact that he might still consider selling her. She had though that maybe after their last talk that she had convinced him to let her come with him but now perhaps that was all a rouse to get her to come with him willingly.  
  
“So what is it you’re hoping to find in this town?” she finally asked, hoping that he wouldn’t hear the catch in her voice. Killian glanced back at her with a small smile, clearly not missing it.  
  
“Supplies,” he stated simply. “Most of the items we’ve gathered we scavenged along the way but we only need a few more things before we continue forward,” he said with a shrug.  
  
“Where is it you wish to move on to?” Ariel asked, stumbling ever so slightly over a turned over log. Killian was quick to catch her however, propping her upright and continuing along.  
  
“Well, we’ve got to find ourselves another pet to sell don’t we?” he said with a chuckle and immediately Ariel stopped in her tracks. Killian stopped as well, his face falling as he realized what he had said. “Ariel…”  
  
“You’re going to try and catch another mermaid?” she whispered, her brow furrowing at the man in front of her. “Those are my sisters, Killian. I won’t let you steal them from their home like you stole me. I won’t let you!”  
  
Ariel tried to whirl around and storm away then. She tried to leave with a substantial dramatic exit but it was like her legs stopped working because once she took a step she suddenly collapsed. Killian was immediately at her side and Ariel suddenly noticed that her previously wounded knee was starting to hurt much more than she realized.  
  
“Ariel, what is it?”  
  
“My leg,” Ariel gasped, the pain coming in like she was being repeatedly stabbed in the same spot over and over again. She clawed at the fabric of the dress and without warning Killian hoisted the skirt up to her thigh and glanced at her knee. “He…I thought Peter healed it,” she whispered glancing at the now bloodied skin.  
  
Instead of the healed skin she remembered her knee looked sickly. Blue veins had begun creeping down her calf and up her thigh and the gash in her leg was much larger than she remembered. Blood curved around her skin and now stained her skirt. “Oh no,” Killian said, sitting back as the blood drained from his face. “No…this cannot be.”  
  
“Killian, what is it?” Ariel asked, her voice rising as she stared at the fear in his voice. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Ariel…it’s nightshade.”


	12. Pandora's Box

“This is going to hurt,” the fairy muttered as she focused all her energy on the pendant in front of her. After a moment she let out a little gasp before pressing the point of her finger against the jewel, her eyes shut and a strange sort of glow enveloping her. Then like the jewel began to burn like fire against Ariel’s skin and she let out a yelp before tearing it from her.  
  
She stared at the pendant, watching as it began to sizzle and then turn to ash, disappearing as though it never existed in the first place. “Is that it?” she whispered, breathless. “Does that mean I’m free?”  
  
Tinkerbell suddenly looked exhausted but nodded nonetheless. “You’re free from Peter’s influence. We don’t have much time until he realizes it though,” she murmured. Ariel knew that once Peter found out he couldn’t control her anymore, Tinkerbell would be the first person to blame. It was she that bound Ariel to the jewel and to Peter and it was she that could undo that curse only.  
  
With a sudden bought of energy; Ariel lunged across the table and hugged the fairy. The blonde tensed beneath Ariel’s grip and remained stiff as a board until the mermaid released her. “Thank you,” Ariel sighed, massaging her throat and feeling strange about the emptiness there.  
  
“How is it Peter can control you then,” Wendy said suddenly, looking intently at the fairy. Tinkerbell’s face seemed to redden considerably as she looked away. “I’ve seen him do it before…when I first came to the island he’d tell you to be quiet and no matter what you did what he said.”  
  
Tinkerbell sighed, turning to face the two girls—the other mermaids were dancing on the beach as they awaited instruction from the three girls. They seemed to be having quite the party with their new legs. “When a fairy gives her heart to someone…they have complete and total control over it. No matter how much I might not want to do anything Peter tells me to do, I have no choice…I love him and he has my heart. Until I fall out of love with him or he…dies, I won’t have any other choice.”  
  
“Then how were you able to remove my pendant?”  
  
“Peter never told me I couldn’t remove it,” Tinkerbell said devilishly, a sly grin on her face. “Now, where did your father run off to?” she said as she glanced around for the ever imposing King Triton.  
  
King Triton still remained in the ocean, sitting on a large rock that was stationed in the shallows of the water. Ariel, Wendy and Tinkerbell all made their way towards his rock as he watched his daughters frolic in the sand. He did not look pleased, but Ariel didn’t find that surprising. Seeing his daughters with legs when they should have fins was something he had never ever hoped for.  
  
Though when he caught sight of Ariel he smiled kindly at her. “Oh, Ariel,” he said, reaching out to touch his daughter’s face as she approached him. “I wish I could reverse this curse on you like I could your sister’s,” he said remorsefully. “Then you could come home.”  
  
“I wish it were that simple, Daddy,” Ariel said, closing her eyes against her father’s touch. She had never thought she’d feel it again, let alone see him. “Do you know how we can stop Peter Pan?” she asked, before he could question her statement. The thought of revealing that the man she was trying to rescue was also the man that had stolen her kiss was horrifying.  
  
“Yes,” Triton said, reaching into a small satchel he wore round his chest. Ariel recognized it as her own, one she had carried with her when she would wander around the bottom of the ocean, exploring shipwrecks and collecting human trinkets. She smiled sadly at the thought of her father carrying it around with him since she had gone. He pulled out a small square object; it looked to be a little bronze box with patterns carved into it.  
  
Triton held it with great care before presenting it to his daughter. “What is it?”  
  
“It’s called Pandora’s box. I know of no other way to defeat that devil than to trap him in there. They say it’s worse than death…”  
  
“This is where you put Ursula, isn’t it?” Ariel said, looking down at the ominous box with apprehension. Triton nodded, closing his eyes momentarily before returning his gaze to his daughter.  
  
“Go to Skull Rock, defeat Pan. Find what you’ve been searching for…my daughter,” Triton said, touching his daughter’s face once more.  
  
Ariel nodded and watched as her father returned to the sea. She knew he wasn’t finished helping them yet but he couldn’t come to land like her sister’s. His help would be from the water, where he belonged. Ariel turned to face her sisters, Wendy and Tinkerbell before presenting the box to Tinkerbell.  
  
“Pandora’s box,” she said, holding the box as though it was going to explode at any moment.  
  
“Are you sure you can do this?” Wendy asked, looking at the fairy whose eyes seemed to be brimming with tears. “I mean…are you sure you’ll be able to kill him?”  
  
“It’s not killing him,” Tinkerbell snapped, pulling the box to her chest. “Besides, what other choice do I have?”  
  
“Come on,” Ariel sighed, laying her hand on the fairy’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

 


	13. Nightshade

“But…what’s Nightshade?” Ariel asked as Killian stood running his hand through his hair and pacing rapidly. She’d never seen him look so angry before. His steps were quick and he looked as if he wanted to bury the tip of his hook into someone’s throat.  
  
“Pan, you bloody bastard,” he whispered under his breath. “You bastard!” he cried out, looking to the treetops as though Peter was sitting there grinning down at him. There was no answer though, just the flapping of wings as the birds startled from their nests at the sound of Killian’s cry.  
  
“Killian!” Ariel cried, finally gaining his attention. The moment his gaze landed on her all anger faded from his face. All that was left was pain. He came to kneel beside her and took her hand in his. She frowned down at their linked fingers, unfamiliar with the kind touch but she found that she quite liked it. “Killian,” she repeated. “What is Nightshade?”  
  
The pirate frowned, it seemed he had forgotten that Ariel wouldn’t know the dangers of the plant. It was an item from land after all and Nightshade did not grow underwater. “It’s…a plant,” he said, slowly. He felt such reluctance having to speak the words—knowing there was a cure and knowing also that it would bound Ariel to this plane forever.  
  
“It’s alright, Killian,” Ariel said. She had gathered from the moment she saw the pained expression in his face that the purpling veins spreading through her leg meant something awful. “Am I going to die?” she asked, her voice oddly even. Though she felt her heard pounding in her throat and she knew her fingers must be trembling in Killian’s grip.  
  
It was strange. After all that had happened, death being the end of things never occurred to Ariel. She always thought her story would end with escape—she would find a way to return to the ocean and be with her sisters again. Somehow she would find her song and her tail and things would return, as they should—this tale would be just a dream. Never did she think she would die as a result.  
  
“No,” Killian said, his chin jerking upward so that his gaze met hers. He removed his hand from hers and placed it on her face, his thumb resting on the corner of her mouth. “There is a cure and I know where to find it. But Ariel, if you take it…you will never be able to leave Neverland.”  
  
“What will happen if I do?”  
  
“Then you will die,” he said. The thought of forever being trapped on the island where time stood still was not a pleasant one. At least not when Peter Pan was in charge—Killian knew there was more to his plan than simply poisoning Ariel. There was always something more.  
  
“Will you stay with me?” she whispered, tearing her eyes away from the Pirate. They would still be able to stay on the ocean and there were many more islands in Neverland but he would never be able to return to where he came from. No more travelling to other worlds to explore and to do as pirates are meant to do. He would be as trapped as Ariel was and she regretted the question almost instantly. The thought of being alone was too much to bear, especially now that she believed she had found a new home to replace the old.  
  
“Of course I will,” he said, leaning forward and pressing his lips to her forehead. “I will always stay with you.”  
  
That, of course, was a lie.

 


	14. A Tragic Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> present day;

The women made their way through the Dark Forest with shocking speed. It was odd how easy it was to move among the trees riddled with torn shadows and spirits of Lost Boys—it was as though everything was silent as they waited for Peter to ascend to the next level of his immortality. Ariel and the others were able to pass unbothered. Her sisters danced through the forest looking like wood nymphs in the strange clothes her father had fashioned for them—she imagined any man, pirate or not wouldn’t be able to resist. Their strides equally as seductive and deadly as their songs; Ariel couldn’t help but smile at the thought.  
  
Ariel had half expected to find carnage and chaos when they happened upon the camp. Peter had several set up in Neverland when he liked to travel and play tricks on visitors he’d bring them with to each camp. Though the one by the town was their main home. However, when they finally entered the camp they were shocked to see each and every Lost Boy sitting down, their hands bound and a look of defeat on their faces.  
  
She glanced around wondering how the Lost Boys could be defeated and if Peter was among them but she could not find him. Instead she found Mary Margaret and David wandering the rows of children, keeping guard she supposed. The moment Ariel stepped into the clearing it was as though they sensed her because Mary Margaret’s bow rose and immediately aimed at her.  
  
Her eyes widened fractionally and immediately she lowered the bow, running to Ariel and wrapping her arms around her. “I’m so glad you’re alright,” she breathed, pulling away and grasping the mermaid’s upper arms. “We were so afraid of what Pan might have done to you.”  
  
“I’m okay,” Ariel promised, glancing around the camp once more. “Where is everyone?”  
  
Mary Margaret’s eyes travelled behind Ariel to her six sisters, Tinkerbell and Wendy. “Ariel…who are these people?” Ariel glanced behind her, watching as her sister’s spread out to investigate, no doubt wanting nothing more than to play with the boys so easily captured for them.  
  
“It’s okay,” Ariel promised. “They’re here to help, we know how to stop Peter.”  
  
“How?” Mary Margaret spoke, her frown deepening as David came to stand beside her. He placed his hand on Ariel’s shoulder and nodded encouragingly to the mermaid.  
  
“This is Tinkerbell,” Ariel said, stepping aside so that the fairy could stand beside her. “She is the fairy who placed the Senseless Jewel on me…she’s with us now. She’s the one who’s going to stop Peter Pan for good,” Ariel explained.  
  
Mary Margaret opened her mouth to ask how once more but Ariel stopped her with a look. “Where is everyone?” she said, her eyes frantically searching the camp for Emma, Baelfire…Killian.  
  
“Regina, Emma, Neil and Gold all went to Skull Island to try and save Henry,” David explained but the way he looked at Ariel said he knew what she was really asking. He looked to the ground and Ariel found her heart falling.  
  
“Is he alright?” she whispered. David didn’t answer, simply offering his hand to Ariel before leading her to a secluded area. Tinkerbell and Wendy were left to explain the Pandora’s box to Mary Margaret.  
  
The secluded area was like a little cubby in the forest, a very small circular cut out with a tree stump and a small pool of water right next to it. She could see Killian’s crumpled figure atop the stump, his hand in the water as he slowly brought it to his face. “Killian,” she cried out, rushing to him. He lifted his head and smiled at the red head, taking his wet fingers and running them along her dirty cheek.  
  
“Hello, my little mermaid,” he murmured.  
  
“What happened?” Ariel whispered, glancing up at David biting back the tears in her eyes.  
  
“He’s been poisoned,” David explained, glancing at the pirate. “Nightshade.”

 


	15. Dead Man's Peak

Killian began taking Ariel in a completely different direction from where they once were headed. Instead of continuing into the depths of the forest where it was dark and silent they began climbing upwards. The air there was much denser and Ariel found her lungs struggling to breath this oxygen—something she’d never experienced before was shortness of breath and it felt like being stabbed. She clutched at her chest, following Killian as she attempted to remain as silent as possible.  
  
“Just a little farther now,” Killian murmured, continuing onward. As they walked the two hadn’t spoken a word to each other and aside from the rustle of leaves and Ariel’s painful gasps of air this was the first noise she’d heard in hours.  
  
“Killian…if you…if you don’t wish to stay with me you can go. I don’t mind. You can go sail your ocean and I can…I can stay with Peter. He was very kind to me and perhaps he’d be willing to let me live with him and his Lost Boys,” Ariel said, her eyes remaining down and her words coming in very short clipped phrases.  
  
Killian stopped in his tracks and Ariel let out a squeak when she ran into his leather jacket. He turned around, his expression dark as he clutched her arms. “Ariel, don’t you see? That’s exactly what he wants! He wants you to think it’s your decision to remain with him so that he can trick you!”  
  
“Trick me into doing what, Killian?” Ariel said, the beginnings of annoyance forming in her words. “Peter has been nothing but kind to me where you weren’t always nice in the least. He’s given me no reason _not_ to trust him.”  
  
“And I have?” Killian said, hurt showing in his eyes. “Have I given you reason not to trust me, little mermaid? Have I not risked my life for you time and time again?”  
  
“Don’t start with this again, please. You know that I trust you and you know that I wish to stay with you…but if you don’t want to anchored to land as I am then you should go.”  
  
Killian sighed, taking Ariel’s face in his hands and peering into her eyes. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her…truly kiss her, and she wondered what would happen should the man who stole her kiss return it to her. “You know I will stay with you. Forever, if I must.”  
  
He smiled then and released her turning away to continue up the mountain and Ariel for a moment thought that she might be in love. That if the way his touch made her skin burn and ache and the way her heart fluttered in her chest was meant to feel that way…then yes, she certainly might be in love.  
  
“Here we are,” Killian said proudly as they reached the top of the mountain. Ariel came up behind him; sweat trickling down her forehead and back, dampening her hair and her dress.  
  
“I miss those trousers,” she mumbled, making Killian laugh.  
  
“Welcome to Dead Man’s Peak,” Killian said, splaying his arms to reveal a large sum of rock and dark green vines growing along its walls. Ariel could just barely see through a curtain of the vines what must’ve been water, so with a curious frown she stepped forward only to find herself unconscious.  
  
“Thank you Tink, that’ll be all.” Killian glanced behind him to find the red headed Cretan leaning over Ariel. Her hair was splayed along the ground like a puddle of blood and her eyes were fluttering uselessly beneath her lids.  
  
“What have you done to her!” Killian snarled drawing his sword.  
  
“Don’t you grow tired of this?” Peter said with a sigh, flicking his fingers, which immediately made Killian’s sword fly from his hand. “I just want you and I to have a nice little chat.”

 


	16. Staying in Neverland

It was strange how calm Ariel felt. She could see the little wound on Killian’s forearm—the little wound that would be his undoing unless they got help. Ariel was well aware of the cure to Nightshade…she was well aware of what it meant to take that cure. Trapped in Neverland for all of eternity with no hope of ever leaving. That was what she gave in return for life and she believed it would be a life worth living. A life with Killian.  
  
The wound was littered with purple and blue veins that were spreading and dancing ominous trails along his skin. His eyes were far away in the distance, staring at the setting sun as he leaned against the trunk of the tree. Ariel could see the defeat in his eyes, could see the goodbye he silently said to the ocean as he realized he would never sail her waters again.  
  
“It’s not so bad,” she said, startling him. He glanced up, eyes wide as he saw her for the first time. He breathed her name, reaching for her. She took his hand, falling to her knees to perch beside him. His legs were sprawled out in front of him while hers curled under the dress she wore. Their fingers laced together and Ariel looked down at their touching skin, well aware of his eyes burning into her face. “Staying in Neverland, I mean. It’s not all bad.”  
  
“I’ll never see another world again,” he said, sadness in his voice. “One thing I always loved about the Jolly Roger was her ability to take me to new worlds.”  
  
“You still have all of Neverland to travel?” Ariel tried. She knew that Tinkerbell must be close to finished divulging their plan to Snow and the others. There wasn’t much time to linger on Hook’s pity party but her heart hurt to look at him with such sadness on his face. “And…and when this is all over…you can stay with me.”  
  
Killian looked at her sharply and she involuntarily winced. She remembered the last time he made that promise—it was a lie and she was trapped with Peter for years of torment. He smiled, reaching out with his good hand and touching her cheek. “I promised you once I would stay with you forever.”  
  
“A promise you broke very quickly,” Ariel said with a pained laugh.  
  
“Ariel let me explain…”  
  
“It’s time!” came the familiar voice of Tinkerbell. Ariel glanced up seeing the blonde fairy at the top of the hill, Wendy behind her still looking dazed and confused. Ariel stood, grabbing Killian’s hand and pulling him to his feet.  
  
“Are you ready?” she whispered, squeezing his hand. “Are you ready for it all to finally be over?”  
  
“I’ve never been more ready in my life.”

 


	17. A Siren That Can't Swim Anymore

Killian would’ve given his other hand to be able to carve the smile from Peter’s face just then. As the deviant placed his fingers lovingly on Ariel’s face, Killian felt his skin crawl and he could’ve sworn he tasted bile in the back of his throat. “Leave her be, Pan,” he growled. Peter glanced up at Killian who stood ready to fight but they both knew that Killian would do no such thing. Peter was stronger than him and as always he had the upper hand. All he had to do was flick his fingers and Killian would be no more, or even worse he would harm Ariel.  
  
“Don’t worry, Jones, I don’t want to harm your precious mermaid. In fact, just the opposite. I want to cure her. I want to help you.”  
  
“You were the one who poisoned her in the first place!” Killian cried, his brow furrowing as he glared at the boy. Peter stood, his thick lips widening as he smiled as though he had just won a very complex game.  
  
“You’re right, I did. But only so we could be here…together. The three of us on Dead Man’s Peak. You know, it’s funny. How you took her from her home and from everything she knew and she tried and tried to get away from you…she even got legs and yet she won’t run away. She’ll stay with you no matter what, Jones. You know why? Because she loves you. I could see it in her eyes the moment you stumbled upon our little camp.”  
  
“What do you want, Pan?” Killian groaned. “I grow tired of your nonsense.”  
  
“And I grow tired of yours. You were supposed to sell the mermaid to me, Hook. Not fall for her and take her away from here. We had a deal.”  
  
“The deal’s changed.”  
  
“Yes, because you love her, I know. But _no one_ breaks a deal with me. Do you understand? So here’s what’s going to happen, pirate. Either you can spend her last moments on Earth in each others arms and watch as she dies and then I can rip your heart out as well…or you can give her the cure, say your farewells and leave Neverland.”  
  
Killian’s heart fell through his stomach in that moment. He knew the moment Ariel stumbled along that camp that there would be no getting away from Pan but that didn’t stop him from trying. Selling her in the beginning had seemed like such a trivial pursuit. It was his way out of Neverland…to return to the Enchanted Forest and finally exact his revenge on that crocodile that stole his hand. Never did he imagine falling for his bounty. He knew now that there would be no escaping this…he could either let her die and die with her or they both could live and he could get what he wanted from the beginning.  
  
“You’re making the right choice, Killian. I promise, she’ll be very happy with me,” Peter said, that devious smile on his face. Killian looked to Ariel, her hair falling over her eyes…her face still so pure and innocent even in slumber.  
  
He made his way to her, crouching down to brush the hair from her face and to press his lips gently to her forehead. “When she wakes…tell her…tell her that Killian Jones only has one love.”  
  
Peter tossed something to Killian then; the pirate caught it and glanced down at the tiny clear object. A magic bean. “Don’t come back to Neverland, pirate. Safe travels.”  
  
“Goodbye…little mermaid.”


End file.
